the write stuff: getting the media to share your story
TRANSCRIPT
The Write Stuff: Getting the Media
to Share Your Story
Katie Pemberton and Michelle Sathe
A bit about us …
Who likes a good story?
With today’s 24/7 news cycle ...
There’s never been a better time to get your story out!
Get ready to pitch!
Who to pitch
• Research community print, web and broadcast
• News desk is best for a “breaking” story
• Features or lifestyle writers/editors best for events
• Try national pet and mainstream outlets for extra-special pet stories
PRO TIP: Find the pet people!
Google to find out:
Regularly does stories on pets?
Has a consistent pet segment?
Talks about or shares their pets
on social media?
What’s newsworthy?
• Initiative launches and milestones
• Adoption events and promos
• Touching people and pet stories
• Unique fundraising or recruitment events
• Real-time needs (kitten season!)
• Holidays and pet recognition days
Touching pet story: Tyson
• Young pit bull with fast-growing cancer needed a foster home
• Adorable photos of Tyson with “bucket list” helped sell the pitch
• Kelli at People Pets wrote the story
• Inside Edition, MSN and Yahoo picked up the story
• Tyson found a foster home and we were able to recruit new potential foster volunteers
Case study: #Holiday100
Tools: Press release
Tools: Media alert
Tools: Advance brief
#HOLIDAY100 results!
Overcoming media PTSD
• The media WANTS to
help animals
• If they believe you do too,
they’ll help you
• Step 1 is building their
trust
Beat them to the punch
The first time
they talk to you
should NOT be
when they call you
because
something’s wrong!
Give the media good experiences FIRST
Build partnership and trust by keeping them informed of
the great things happening at your organization.
Even if they don't cover it, they're watching, noticing and forming opinions.
Keep the long game in mind
• MY SECOND DAY ON THE JOB
– Pitched a local business paper on our
new veterinary medical director
• THREE MONTHS LATER
– Same paper published a story showing
faith in our new administration
But the short game saves lives, too!
Dec. 19
Dec. 29
Dec. 29
Dec. 30
Dec. 31
But the short game saves lives, too!
This media outreach led to:
41% increase
in private adoptions
132% increase
in rescue transfers
Rule #1 of PR
Don’t be dishonest or
unethical!
Then you’ll never worry about media
“finding out” about something
Rule #2 of PR
NEVER SAY
“NO COMMENT”
Unless you’ve been ordered to
by an attorney ...
They hear, “I’m hiding something!”
Build mutual trust
• Know what your goal is and share
that with the media and in interviews
• Be upfront about how close you are
to reaching your goal (or how far
away you are)
• Tell them what you don’t want to
happen
• Tell them what you need!
Turn “Oh no!” into “YES!”
Oh no! A media call about euthanasia!
Transparency: Don’t be afraid to let them help!
24% YOY increase in adoptions for the week following the story
YES!
Oh no! A HUGE unplanned intake, and no kennel space!
Turn “Oh no!” into “YES!”
Turn “Oh no!” into “YES!”
ASK FOR HELP!
ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU REALLY NEED IT.
Turn “Oh no!” into “YES!”
... AND THEY’LL PROBABLY HELP!
Turn “Oh no!” into “YES!”
The positives of this negative situation
• Got the community actively involved
• Thousands of dollars in donations
• Hundreds of items donated
• We reached even more people with the message of our
transformation
• Opened up more kennel space than ever before!
• Most important of all: ZERO dogs were euthanized
for space as a result of this intake (but they would have been
IF NOT for this intake)
The positives of this negative situation
SAME OLD "WE'RE FULL, INTAKE IS HIGH"
= NOT NEWS, NO ATTENTION
ESPECIALLY BAD SITUATION = ATTENTION
THIS IS NEWS!
WHY?
The positives of this negative situation
Our most
interacted-
with
post EVER,
reaching 438,400
people!
Don't be a press pest …
• Don't call during crunch times or
deadlines
• Be brief, especially on the phone
• Know what is and is not
newsworthy
• Don't pester them to cover
something that isn't newsworthy
... Be the press’ best
• "We're full" isn't news if you're full
all the time.
• You have to find a newsworthy
hook. Dig into your data!
– Intake is up XX% over last year
– XX more dogs have tested positive
for heartworms
– Brought in XX% more cruelty cases
The need for speed
When you control the timing:
• Make sure your spokesperson is available for interviews when you send out your outreach
• Be ready to do interviews the day you send it
The need for speed
Be able to respond to media ASAP:
– Have cell phone numbers of all your spokespeople and subject matter experts
– Have news desk and/or reporter numbers on your cell phone
– Have cell phone numbers of all PIOs in related departments
– If you can, get a mobile login for your shelter software
– Have more than one media-trained person
Find your spokesperson
• Can articulate your message
• Is comfortable talking to the media
• Is presentable and appropriate
• Knows there is no such thing as “off the record”
Practice makes perfect
• Rehearse top three messages
• Responding vs. reacting
• Dress the part
• Find your comfort zone
Remember your audience
• General public, not advocates
• Don’t use jargon
• No matter what, keep a positive attitude and explain how any animal lover can play a part to Save Them All
Ready for your close-up?
• Ask for questions or premise in advance
• Develop talking points
• Practice!
• Is it live or taped?
Pick your pet star!
Going off-site? Do a test run
Live remotes at your facility
Double the fun
Get in position
Remember ...
PRO TIP: Attitude of gratitude
• Email contacts to say thanks and how their coverage made an impact
• Send a thank-you card and/or small gift at the holidays
PRO TIP: Attitude of gratitude
Ideas and resources
• Look for local PR, photography, social media and design help by listing your needs on VolunteerMatch.org.
• Ask your local college’s graphic design class to help with logos, collateral materials, websites, etc. Same for photography, PR and communications needs.
• Reach out to local PR and marketing professionals to see if they would be willing to take your shelter on as a pro bono client or greatly reduce their rates.
• Recruit interns from local universities.
Why we do this ...
#SaveThemAll
Questions?